USING A PROPERTY OF A RECEIVED SIGNAL TO DETERMINE A DEVICE FOR FORMING A NETWORK CONNECTION

• US 20110231556A1
• Filed: 03/17/2010
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Vargolu, Devrim
• Granted Patent: US 9,021,101 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

The described embodiments include an electronic device that uses a property of received signals to determine another device for forming a network connection. During operation, the electronic device receives a signal from each of two or more other devices. The electronic device then compares a property of each received signal to the other received signals to determine a signal that has a property most like a target property. Next, the electronic device selects the other device that was the source of the determined signal and forms the network connection with the selected other device.

Claims

1. A method for forming a network connection for an electronic device, comprising, in the electronic device:

receiving a signal from each of two or more other devices;

comparing a property of each received signal to the other received signals to determine a signal that has a property most like a target property;

selecting the other device that was the source of the determined signal; and

forming the network connection with the selected other device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the property for the received signals includes:

measuring, acquiring, deriving, or computing a value representing the property of each received signal; and

comparing the value representing the property for each received signal to the value representing the property for the other received signals to determine which of the signals has a property value closer to a target property value.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the property of the received signals that is compared is the signal strength, wherein the target property value represents a predetermined signal strength, and wherein the computed value of the strength of the received signal is a received signal strength indicator (RSSI).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the other device further comprises:

comparing a second property of each received signal to the other signals to determine a signal that has a second property most like a second target property; and

wherein selecting the other device that was the source of the determined signal further comprises adjusting the selection of the other device to account for the source of the signal with the property most like the second target property.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein adjusting the selection of the other device to account for the source of the signal with the property most like the second target property includes:

selecting the other device with the signal with the property most like the second target property, without regard as to whether the signal has a property most like the target property.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the other device further comprises:

determining a contextual value for the electronic device; and

wherein selecting the other device that was the source of the determined signal further comprises adjusting the selection of the other device to account for the determined contextual value.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the contextual value includes determining at least one value that represents an internal or external state or environment of the electronic device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the property of the received signals includes comparing:

a signal strength, noise, or frequency component of the signals;

a content, arrangement, bandwidth, or format of the signals;

information encoded in the signals;

or

an actual or derived electromagnetic property of the signals.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a signal from each of the other devices includes receiving a signal from each other device that indicates that the other device is available for forming the network connection.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

dynamically monitoring the property of received signals, wherein dynamically monitoring the property of received signals includes comparing a property of each received signal to the other received signals to determine a signal that has a property most like a target property after a network connection has been formed with a first other device; and

if the property of the received signals indicates that a signal received from a second other device has a property most like a target property, switching the network connection from the first other device to the second other device by;

disabling the network connection to a first other device; and

forming a network connection to a second other device.

11. An apparatus for forming a network connection in an electronic device, comprising:

a processing subsystem; and

a networking subsystem coupled to the processing subsystem;

wherein the networking subsystem receives a signal from each of two or more other devices;

wherein the processing subsystem;

compares a property of each received signal to the other received signals to determine a signal that has a property most like a target property,

selects the other device that was the source of the determined signal, and

causes the networking subsystem to form the network connection with the selected other device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein when comparing the property for the received signals, the processing subsystem:

measures, acquires, derives, or computes a value representing the property of each received signal; and

compares the value representing the property for each received signal to the value representing the property for the other received signals to determine which of the signals has a property value closer to a target property value.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processing subsystem is configured so that the property of the received signals that is compared is the signal strength, the target property value represents a predetermined signal strength, and the computed value of the strength of the received signal is a received signal strength indicator (RSSI).

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein when selecting the other device, the processing subsystem is further configured to compare a second property of each received signal to the other signals to determine a signal that has a second property most like a second target property;

and

wherein when selecting the other device that was the source of the determined signal, the processing subsystem adjusts the selection of the other device to account for the source of the signal with the property most like the second target property.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein when adjusting the selection of the other device to account for the source of the signal with the property most like the second target property, the processing subsystem selects the other device with the signal with the property most like the second target property, without regard as to whether the signal has a property most like the target property.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein when selecting the other device, the processing subsystem is further configured to determine a contextual value for the electronic device;

and

wherein when selecting the other device that was the source of the determined signal, the processing subsystem is configured to adjust the selection of the other device to account for the determined contextual value.

17. An electronic device for forming network connections, comprising:

a networking subsystem configured to;

receive two or more signals from other devices;

compare a property of each of the signals to a similar property for each other signal to determine which signal is from a device that is more favorable for forming a network connection; and

form a network connection with the device that the received signal indicates is more favorable for forming a network connection.

18. A system, comprising:

two or more devices, wherein each device includes a radio for forming network connections with other devices; and

an electronic device, wherein the electronic device includes a processing mechanism configured to;

receive signals from each of the sources of signals;

classify at least one of the signals as being from a device to which a network connection is to be formed; and

form a network connection with the device to which the network connection is to be formed.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein when classifying the signals, the electronic device:

compares at least one property of each signal to the property for the other signals to determine which signal is from a device to which a network connection is to be formed.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein when classifying the signals, the electronic device:

determines at least one contextual value; and

uses the contextual value to determine which signal is from a device to which a network connection is to be formed.